Scientists now have a much clearer view of the surface of Mercury -- as well as data that could lead to new theories about the planet's interior -- from the first direct topographic data sent back from the MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft in January. Steven A. Hauck II, assistant professor of geological sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences at Case Western Reserve University, is part of the team collecting and analyzing the data.

A paper, "Laser Altimeter Observations from MESSENGER's First Mercury Flyby," co-authored by Hauck with lead author Maria T. Zuber (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) detailing the analysis, is one of 11 articles on the NASA-funded Mercury mission published in the July 4 issue of Science.

The team used data collected by the Mercury Laser Altimeter (MLA) housed on MESSENGER to create a topographic profile of a 3,200-km stretch of Mercury's surface, approximately 20 percent of the circumference of Mercury's equator. When MESSENGER's primary mission is completed, now scheduled for 2012, a complete picture of the northern hemisphere and some areas south of the equator will be collected. Read more.

Case Western Reserve University Receives $5 Million to Continue Microbicide Research to Prevent HIV Infection

Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine researchers have been awarded a $5 million dollar grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to continue their ground-breaking research on the development of an HIV microbicide, a potentially revolutionary tool in stemming the global HIV epidemic.

The three-year NIH award allows Case Western Reserve to continue to lead an international research team's development of molecules which stop HIV from entering cells, thus preventing HIV infection. The funding supports three interlocking projects that will provide information critical to the development of microbicides in general and more specifically to microbicidal strategies utilizing the team's molecules.

"NIH support has been crucial to our success to date. This grant will provide the continued investment needed to reach the next milestone," said Michael Lederman, lead investigator on the project. Read more.

Campus News

A memorial service celebrating the life of Hugh Alan Ross Sr., professor emeritus of law, will be held at 11 a.m., followed by a luncheon at noon on July 12 in Judson Manor's grand ballroom, 1890 East 107th St. in Cleveland. Ross, who died April 27, was on the Case Western Reserve University School of Law faculty from 1954 to 1990, and devoted himself to the advancement of civil rights, especially with regard to racial and gender equality. To RSVP for the memorial service call (602) 808-9500.

The university will be closed on Friday, July 4 to observe the Fourth of July holiday. Case Daily will resume publication on Monday, July 7.

For Faculty and Staff

Applications are being accepted for the 2009-2010 Fulbright Scholar Awards competition. The awards provide scholars with a wide range of opportunities in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and mathematics and in professional fields such as business, journalism and law. Programs are open to students, as well as faculty at all levels, including adjunct and emeriti faulty, as well as other professionals. The application deadline for the traditional lecturing and research grants or the Fulbright Distinguished Chair award is August 1. Complete information is available at the Council for International Exchange of Scholars Web site.

For Students

This section will be updated occasionally during the summer. Refer to the "Campus News" section for general information.

Case in the News

The Plain Dealer, July 3, 2008Case Western Reserve University's School of Medicine has been awarded a $5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to continue research in the quest of a microbicide to combat HIV.

Yahoo! News Asia, July 3, 2008
The order to free Congolese militia leader Thomas Lubanga was a major blow to prosecutors in International Criminal Court. His trial was to be the first at the court focusing solely on the use of child soldiers. Michael Scharf, a law professor at Case Western Reserve University who has studied international war crimes tribunals, comments.

The Providence Journal, July 3, 2008
Feature story on Corey Sper Brier, a gifted math and music student who plans to attend Case Western Reserve University in the fall. According to the article, Brier chose the university because of its highly regarded mathematics and engineering programs, along with an extensive music program.

The Ellsworth American, July 3, 2008
Many of the ideas on which modern lobster science and management are based can be traced to the work of Francis Hobart Herrick. The first professor of biology at what is now Case Western Reserve University, Herrick published his definitive work on lobsters in 1895.

Higher Ed News

Inside Higher Ed, July 3, 2008
Women in sociology, 10 years after earning their Ph.D.'s, are achieving substantial professional success and high levels of research productivity but also differ from men in some ways in their career trajectories, according to a new study released by the American Sociological Association.